Max the Cat, Lost in Colorado, Reunited with Family in Germany

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Max the lucky black cat, is heading home to be reunited with his family in Germany, thanks to the kindness of a pair of animal lovers and a microchip.

The 9-year-old cat went missing in Boulder, Colorado in mid-June, when he snuck out of the Boulder Outlook Hotel. His family, the Deraneys of Niedernhausen, Germany, spent the summer at the hotel, and were visiting a family member when he disappeared. Despite an intense search, Max had not been located before the family had to return to Germany.

Max was found October 5th less than a mile from the hotel when a cat-loving couple who saw him roaming the streets brought him to the Humane Society, hoping to adopt him if he didn’t have an owner. A microchip scan showed that Max did have a home … 5,000 miles away.

Max’s survival for four months could “quite possibly be due to the kindness of people in the community,” said Kim Terlau, animal services supervisor at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley.

“He is an active cat and does show interest in prey behavior, but to be honest, I’m not sure how skilled of a hunter he is,” she said. When he was first brought to the shelter, he was famished, scarfing down his food as soon as it was set in front of him.

Marisa Deraney arrived in Boulder after Max completed his international health certificate verifying he was healthy enough to fly. With pet pawsport in hand, Max flew back to Germany with Deraney today.